The amended version of House Bill 7 now heads to the Senate floor. If approved there, it would go to the House of Representatives.

Supporters of the measure called it imperfect, but better than the state's existing rules on campaign finance. Further, they said, it can attract enough votes to pass through the legislature. Gov. Pat Quinn supports it and said he would sign it into law.

"I think this is the best we can do at this time," Quinn told the Senate Executive Committee as he testified in favor of the bill.

Members of the Quinn-created Illinois Reform Commission opposed the legislation, saying it has too many loopholes. For example, they said, it imposes some caps on campaign contributions, but does not limit how much the legislative leaders' political committees can give in the form of "in-kind" contributions to candidates.

"Illinois deserves a campaign finance bill that is the model for the nation," said the commission's chairman, Patrick Collins. "This bill can be better."

The legislation includes provisions that say a single-candidate committee may collect a maximum of $5,000 from individuals; $10,000 from a labor union, corporation or association; and $90,000 in fund transfers from a political committee.

A multi-candidate committee, such as the funds controlled by legislative leaders, may collect a maximum of $10,000 from an individual; $20,000 from a labor union, corporation or association; and $90,000 in fund transfers from a political committee.

Those new rules would take effect in 2011.

The vote on the bill was 8-5, with Democrats supporting it and Republicans opposing it.

GateHouse News Service State Capitol Bureau

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